About ChampagneThere are many different types, styles and flavours of champagne; though there are strict rules on its production.Champagne RulesWhere is true Champagne from?Champagne is a French sparkling wine and is a protected name of the sparkling wine which can only come from the Champagne region of France. Even then, it is not enough to be a wine producer from the Champagne region of france to use the name "Champange" on a bottle, but also exacting standards must be followed in order to ensure and maintain the quality of champagne.Unfortunately sometimes confusion can arise as some American wineries do use this term and when they do it is no indication of quality as they are not held to the same exacting standards. About the Champagne Region
Champagne Harvet ReportsHow is it made?Champagne must be made using Méthode Champenoise, where fermentation occurs in two stages, first via normal methods, followed by a second fermentation in the bottle it will be sold in.(This rule is relaxed for very large unwieldy bottles as they are extremely expensive and prone to damage, also very small bottles; for example for airline use, when generally a magnum will be used instead and the wine transferred after fermentation is complete, though some champagne producers do perform second fermentation in the very large bottles.) What are the rules for Non-Vintage Champagne?A non-vintage Champagne must not be sold until at least 15 months after January 1st following the year of harvest. However, most non-vintage Champagne is aged for 18 to 30 months or longer.What are the rules for Vintage Champagne?Vintage champagne must not be sold until at least 3 years following the year of harvest. Most vintage Champagne is much older before it is sold. It must be made from 100% of grapes from that year. (This can be as low as 85% for other wines in the EU, and even lower in other countries) No more than 85% of the grapes from one year may be sold as vintage, ensuring there is enough wine for the non-vintage.Are there more rules?Yes, there are many more rules covering vine pruning, the yield of the vineyard, the degree of pressing applied to the grapes, and the time that bottles must remain on the lees. These are in place to ensure high quality of champagne across all producers.Champagne Resources
Tools, reusable images and related links. Champagne Resources...
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